A focus group discussion – post training monitoring for youth leaders of Medellin was conducted last January 16, 2021 at the Medellin Municipal Social Hall.
There were 14 participants. They were all officers of the Sangguniang Kabataan in their barangays, namely, Caputatan Norte, Dayhagon, Curva, Luy-a, Antipolo, Kawit and Don Virgilio Gonzales
As a background, the youth play an essential role together with the BHERTs, barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars and other sectors in community-based COVID-19 response. A training for youth leaders was conducted last November 17, 2020 on hygiene care and hygiene promotion. It is very important in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic so that increased awareness of the youth leaders on it can pave way for more active involvement of the youth sector in community-based COVID-19 response in their communities. Since the training, they were expected to apply what they had learned during the training and it was important to evaluate how they had done so.
The participants said that although they did not have face to face classes and had only limited occasions to meet their friends, nevertheless, they kept in touch with their classmates and friends through the social media such as messenger chats. Remembering what they had been taught during their November 17 training on hygiene and hygiene promotion, they would send messages to their friends asking them if they were regularly practicing handwashing especially upon coming home from the outside, cleaning their houses and throwing garbage properly.
In their own homes as well, they would help their parents sweep the floor, keep their kitchens, bathrooms and yards clean.
They also distributed the BIDA kits that they received during the training to their classmates who said they appreciated the hygiene products.
The youth leaders said they will continue to practice personal hygiene and cleanliness in their homes and communities.
